The King and Queen of Winter
by xLadybugx91
Summary: Jack Frost had always known Elsa was special. From the time she was little, Jack had watched her struggle with her powers and inflict her own seclusion from life. After Jack became a guardian and defeated Pitch the first time, he thought it was time to bring fun back into Elsa's life. Little did he know how fast a little fun could become something more.
1. Chapter 1

Jack had watched her since she was a little girl; from the time she first discovered her ice powers. He had been traveling over Arrendale, looking for fun to be had and mischief to cause. But that wasn't all he found. From the castle came a cry, clear and striking as crystal ice. Jack had never heard anything like it. In Jack's world of fun, this meant he had to see what was going on.

But nothing in his life before or after becoming Jack Frost prepared him for what he found. In the main bedroom of the castle, where the king and queen slept, was a cradle surrounded by freshly fallen snow. Jack knew he sure hadn't caused it, so whatever was making that sound must have. As he crept closer, ignoring the ache that pierced his heart as people moved through him without seeing him, Jack found a tiny, pale-haired baby wrapped in warm pink blankets, with the biggest sapphire blue eyes he had ever seen.

When the baby laid eyes on him, the crying continued, but those eyes followed him clarity that babies don't have. The baby could see him. Jack watched as the baby waved its tiny arms, and snow burst from its fists, falling both on the babe and around it. Jack moved slowly until he was leaning over the crib, almost unaware that his own powers kept the baby's snow from hitting him.

"Hey there, little thing." He whispered. "It looks like you're the same as me." _Except for being immortal, invisible, and completely alone_, he thought. Carefully, Jack brushed the snow from the child's skin, though he seemed to already know that the cold didn't bother her. "Hey, don't cry. It'll be fun. You'll see." Jack smiled, showing his snow-white teeth. Soon the baby's cries softened and stopped, but she kept staring at him.

Jack knew then that he had to keep an eye on this one. He told himself it was for curiosity's sake, and part of him even rationalized that maybe he would finally have a friend. But deeper still, his heart told him that this girl was special, and no matter what happened, Jack must watch over her and protect her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey, guys! So thankful for all of you who read the first chapter, even though I just now realized that the format completely took out some words and messed up others! This is the first time I've ever used to publish stories, so it may be rough sometimes, but hopefully I at least fixed it this time. So please read and review, and let me know what you think! Thank you. :)**

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Sometimes, it would be years between his adventures to Arrendale. Jack still had to have his fun and keep winter going around the world. But he was there when it mattered the most, even though she didn't always know it. Because even though Elsa was still a child, she stopped being able to see Jack. Jack tried not to let that hurt him. He knew why it happened. He had watched from a distance as Elsa and Anna played in the snow, building their snowman. He watched as Anna, the impulsive 5 year old she was, jump from snowdrift to snowdrift, ultimately jumping too fast and being hit by her sister's icy magic.

Jack had called out to Elsa then, trying to use his own powers to stop the falling child, but it was too late. Jack watched brokenhearted as a panicked Elsa cradled her sister's body and screamed for her parents. As frost spread across the floor and walls, and no matter how many times Jack spoke her name, Elsa couldn't hear him anymore.

When the trolls took Anna's memories, Elsa saw Jack Frost as only an imaginary friend who had no more place in her life. She couldn't have fun anymore. There was only fear and pain that she had to conceal, or else her loved ones may pay the price. If she ever did hear Jack, Elsa just assumed he was a voice in her head. It killed him inside.

Yet still Jack watched.


	3. Chapter 3

**I want y'all to know that I won't normally update this fast, but I happen to be not very busy right now, and also very into writing this story. :) Don't worry, Elsa will be able to see Jack within the next couple of chapters. Don't forget to read, review, and enjoy! ^_^**

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It was hard for Jack to see Elsa as she grew. He could fly there anytime, sure, but watching as Elsa became so afraid of her powers that she secluded herself from the world and began wearing gloves made him feel as hurt for her as for himself. It reminded him how alone he was, and soon, he knew Elsa would be all alone, too. Though hers was a self-inflicted seclusion, he knew how difficult it would be.

Jack thought she almost chose a different path, one where he could show her how to control the gift she had, a few years after the magic incident with Anna. He was using his staff to float on the wind outside her window. He had just meant to peak in and see how she was doing before going to the other side of the world to help mother nature with a snow day. He smiled as he watched her play with a doll in her room. Then she looked up. In a moment, their eyes met, and shock was written across her face. Jack was pretty sure that the same look was on his face, too.

Elsa slowly got up and came to the window. Jack's breath caught in his throat. All he could do was stare into those deep blue sapphire eyes. Elsa placed her hands on the window sill and smiled.

"Can you see me?" Jack asked, his voice soft and a smile finally breaking free.

Suddenly frost and ice crackled along the window sill, coming from Elsa's hands. Elsa gasped and jerked away from the window. When Elsa looked through the window again, it was as if she looked through him, and Jack knew that he was invisible to her again. Then she turned around and threw herself on her bed, sobbing loudly into her pillow.

"I'm so sorry, Elsa..." He whispered softly. "I wish you could see that it doesn't have to be this way." Before he let the wind carry him away, he left a small frosty rabbit on her window in hopes that she would see and understand. But he knew that by the time she got up, the frost would be melted.

The next time he saw her, he saw how much she had changed. She used to be such a sweet girl full of fun and laughter. Now all that was left was fear. He saw Elsa's father give her gloves and teach her the phrase, "Conceal. Don't feel. Don't let it show." It filled him with anger. Hitting Anna with her magic had been a mistake! Keeping Elsa afraid of her powers, of the beauty of ice and snow, would just make her miserable. Keeping her away from people would only make it harder for her to learn and grow and control her powers. But it would take so much time before she truly found out how to control her powers.

The last time Jack saw her before he became a guardian and defeated Pitch the first time was when her parents died. He rested on the wind, floating gently outside her window. She sat with her back to the door, surrounded by frost. She was sobbing silently with her face hidden by her hands. Jack's face fell as he watched her. He couldn't remember ever losing someone, or loving so much then losing them, but her grief hit him somewhere deep inside.

He watched until she stopped crying and just stared through the window at the night sky. With pain etched on his normally happy face, Jack slowly raised his hand to the window glass. He closed his eyes, rested his head and palm against the glass, and let his magic flow. Frost designs bloomed on the window, causing Elsa to jump up in fear.

"Please see me..." Jack softly begged. He wanted to help her, to help take the pain away. But he couldn't unless she saw him. Maybe not even then...

"Who... Who's there?" Elsa called.

Jack opened his eyes and looked into the fearful eyes of the girl before him. He knew from the way she stared that she still couldn't see. For the first time in a long time, Jack really looked at her. She looked well enough for a 18 year old, but Jack saw the toll that fear had taken on her eyes and body. She stood with her arms wrapped around her in a defensive gesture. Her shoulders were bent, and her face... Her beautiful face... Was so pale and drawn. She was still just a girl, a young woman really, but her eyes held the burden of someone much older.

Yes, fear had taken a toll on her.

"I'm not... afraid.." Elsa's voice trailed off. She knew she was only afraid. After looking around for a few more seconds and seeing nothing, Elsa dismissed the frost as some of her own creating.

Jack watched her walk away, unwanted feelings of betrayal and hurt flickering through him. Why would he feel this way? Slowly he realized... "I love her..." Shock caused him to say it out loud. This girl he had watched since she was little, who had now grown into a beautiful but fearful young woman, who would one day be a queen. But she couldn't see him! Sighing in frustration and running his hand through his hair, he spoke to an unhearing Elsa again. "I'll always be your guardian, Elsa. Even if you can't see me anymore."


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4:**

One year after the Great Thaw of Arendelle, four years since Jack had last seen Elsa…

Elsa had rarely been as happy as she was at this point in her life. After the incident with Anna almost a year ago, Elsa had worked on controlling her powers, keeping the gates of her emotions open yet controlled, and tried not to look into the dark corners of mind where her deepest fears lurked. Her bond with her sister had been mending quickly. Though there were still awkward moments and difficult emotions that made her lose control of her powers sometimes, no incident had occurred nearly as bad as when... Well, when she almost killed Anna. There were no fatalities involved, just a little bit of fear and comforting for the queen from her loyal subjects. Everyone had grown to love Elsa, just as they had her parents. She was a good woman, and ruled the kingdom fairly.

Anna and Kristoff were very serious at this point. Elsa knew they would be engaged and married eventually, but she hoped that they would wait another year or so. It would give them time to really get to know each other, and even though she knew Kristoff was not another Hans, the wounds from that betrayal were still deep. As long as she was alive, NO ONE would hurt Anna like that again. Yet even with the broad steps she had made in her life, and the happiness that was there again, Elsa still felt like something was missing. She still felt so lonely inside; she just tried not to dwell on it much. The thoughts just turned into daydreams about a husband and a family, and a life without fear of the future and her powers… And those daydreams ended with her looking around in surprise at a circle of frost around her. Even thinking about living with no fear caused fear.

Elsa's place of freedom, her one place without fear, was still her ice castle. Some days she would just take the day off from her queenly duties and go to the North Mountains and her ice castle. Sometimes Anna would go with her, sometimes Olaf, sometimes her whole family. Yet even if she wanted to be alone, part of her never did. She only wanted someone who truly understood her to be there with her. She wanted someone to hold her and tell her everything was ok, without fearing for their safety. Anna, Olaf, and even Kristoff and Sven may sympathize with her and love her, but no one truly understood what she was going through. Was there even someone out there that could?

Just a few days after the anniversary of the Great Thaw, Elsa took a trip to her ice castle. She had already been alone for a few days after locking herself in her room and reliving the horrid memories of the year before. She just couldn't seem to help it. No one judged her. In fact, it was Anna who lovingly suggested she visit the ice castle for as long as she needed. Although, that could partly because Elsa's emotional turmoil had turned the castle into somewhat of an icebox. Still, Elsa knew that she was loved, and that Anna was right. Elsa needed a few days off. She needed to be free.

As she walked towards the ice castle, fear gripped her. She was wearing the same outfit, walking the same path, even coming to grips with much the same feelings. It was like she was on a roller-coaster with absolutely no control. And the magic obeyed every fear and emotion that turned in her mind. Ice crackled and changed colors on the ground, leaving a trail of rainbows behind her.

"Let it go..." She whispered softly. She stopped and breathed deeply for a moment, letting the feeling of the cold air revive her spirit. Slowly the fear grew less, and she actually felt hopeful of seeing her ice palace again.

"Let it go." She sang louder, smiling as she opened her eyes. She began walking again, and soon the castle came into view. There was a pang of fear when Elsa reached the bottom of the ice stairs, but valiantly she pushed through it and kept moving.

Jack hadn't been to Arendelle in so long. If he was truly honest with himself, he was almost afraid to go back. So much had happened to him. He had become a guardian, defeated Pitch, found his center, and become completely involved with his Guardian duties. He silently reprimanded himself as he flew over the summery plains and hills. He shouldn't have simply abandoned Elsa like that. What if she had needed him? Little did he know that as much as she needed him then, she needed him more now for very different reasons than controlling her powers. She desperately needed a friend.


End file.
